UAE plans new law for support service workers

Nurses will be covered by the new law for support services staff in the UAE. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

By Staff writer

Tue 26 Sep 2017 04:29 PM

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a new law to provide better legal protection to support service workers in the country.

The 41 article-law includes provisions on tariffs, recruitment and employment offices, labour contracts, employer and employee obligations, inspection, penalties, holidays, end of service indemnity, termination of contract and settlement of disputes, state news agency WAM reported on Tuesday.

It added that the law covers 19 service work occupations, which include sailors, guards, parking valet workers, farmers, gardeners, domestic workers, cooks, and nannies, as well as private trainers, nurses, and drivers.

Saqr bin Ghobash Saeed Ghobash, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, said that the law will work to achieve balance, regulate the contractual working relationship, and provide legal protection of all concerned parties.

The minister added that the law reflects the UAE's commitment to uphold the rule of law and harmonise national legislation with international standards pertaining to labour issues.

"The law is characterised by its coverage of all stages of the contractual work cycle through a set of provisions that lay out obligations of all parties, including recruitment offices involved with the mediation of the temporary employment of workers."

Ghobash said the ministry is close to finalising the executive regulations of the law and the models of labour contracts in preparation for the implementation of the law.

On Monday, the UAE announced plans to launch a Domestic Labour Law before the end of this year.

Following assent by the President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ministry of Human Resources announced that the law will come into effect in two months time, after being published in the official gazette.